Mining project set to receive £440m worth of investment this year
A shaft at a massive fertiliser mine project on the North Yorkshire coast is now complete, having reached its target depth of 383 metres.
The chief executive of Anglo American has provided an update on progress to develop the Woodsmith Project, a polyhalite mine where investment in 2022 is expected to be around £440m.
Mark Cutifani revealed that the company invested nearly £390m in the scheme last year, with excavation of a mineral transport tunnel from Teesside passing 18 km by the end of the year, beyond an intermediate access shaft site at Lockwood Beck.
The Lockwood Beck shaft is complete and shaft lining is currently under way. At the mine head itself, shaft boring has started in the services shaft, while progress is also being made on the production shaft infrastructure.
Cutifani confirmed the company is working on a number of changes to the design of the project to create an “enhanced configuration” and to ensure the project meets safety and operating standards, as well as its commercial objectives.
He added: “This is a world class fertiliser project and a business segment that we are even more positive about than when we acquired the project.
“This is a very long-life asset and a product for which we see increasing market interest as the commercial trials demonstrate its crop yield and numerous environmental qualities, so we are going to take the necessary time to get every aspect of the design right to match our long term vision and value aspirations.”
